


Happily Ever After

by eggyeggplant



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Courting Rituals, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29601147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eggyeggplant/pseuds/eggyeggplant
Summary: Prince Keith's gotta marry someone, but he doesn't want to marry just anyone. Prince Lance has the perfect idea--he'll marry Keith. They're besties for life, hella!
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 74





	Happily Ever After

**Author's Note:**

> Klance Secret Valentine Exchange! Prompt was Royalty AU for Maria who is rebluvio on twitter, insta, tumblr, and tik tok!

Keith has known Lance since they were both in diapers, affectionately having called Lance ‘Sharpshooter’ ever since his best friend bawled his eyes out after having nicked Keith on the face with a stray arrow. No one had done the whole ‘try to shoot an apple on someone’s head’ in ages, but Lance was confident in his archery ability and Keith trusted Lance with his life--literally. Luckily, Keith had flinched away in time to save his neck, but Lance was near unconsolable at the idea of seriously wounding Keith. (It did hurt really badly, but Keith pretended like it didn’t because there are few things worse than being the person that makes Lance cry.)

Lance could not stop apologizing to Keith, treating him like glass until Keith decided that the only way he was going to feel better was if Lance stole him a piece of fresh apple tart from the kitchen before dinner. 

“There is nothing in this world I love more than warm apple tarts, do with that information what you will.”

Axca was notorious for strictly making people wait until after dinner, it was incredibly difficult to sneak anything past her hawk-like eyes in the kitchen. Lance, aged eight at the time, was not a person of complete stealth. However, Lance had the determination of a bull and strong limbs that attached themselves onto any surfaces in the kitchen until Axca gave in. “Please Axca? Just one?  _ Pretty please?  _ Please please please! I’m not going to stop until you say yes, pleaseeeeeee?”

Keith had thought that the near impossible task would result in Lance throwing a fit and forgetting to be sad about Keith. Within half a Cvarga, Lance had trotted up to Keith and offered his friend a hot apple tart with a spoonful of melting ice cream on top.

~TeN yEaRs LaTeR~

There were few things Keith hated more in the world than royal pandering. As the first in line for the Royal Throne of Marmora, Keith has always expected it to some extent. Keith was born out of wedlock, but Queen Krolia refused to bear any more heirs after her prospective prince consort passed. No one was brave enough to talk back to their Queen Regnant, but Keith was trained to have a false ear to the rumors that he was going to be an easy catch if his mother was any indication. Seems almost impossible to find a good person you’d want to spend the rest of your life with (and also be relatively unafraid of whether or not they’re going to try to assassinate you in your sleep, hashtag just-royalty-things.)

“Sucks to suck, dude,” Prince Lance says, nudging Keith with his wooden sword. Prince Lance of Altea is second in line to the throne, although everyone who is anyone knows that Princess Allura has every intention of being Altea’s next Queen Regnant. Lance is happy to let Allura do her own thing as Allura’s heart belongs to the people, but Lance’s heart belongs to the world--as in, he’s found in a different kingdom every other month with a new beau. Men, women, royalty, or commoners, no one is safe from the advances of Loverboy Lance after puberty had treated him quite well with a generous growth spurt and handsomely broad shoulders. For the months in between that Lance isn’t frolicking with someone new, he’s found in the neighboring kingdom of Marmora, pestering his unofficial-official best friend Keith to spar and steal apple tarts from the kitchen like they’ve done since childhood.

(“Don’t you have an actual home? In Altea?”

“ _ Au contraire, Keith-y. _ Home is where the heart is, and my heart is in your hands--for the next five to ten days depending on if Nyma replies positively to the courting gifts I sent her.”)

Lance always has new stories whenever he comes back to Keith, toting new souvenirs to share. In return, Keith has always made sure to set aside time to entertain Lance. With Keith’s blossoming adulthood, there are now suitors that demand allotment in Keith’s schedule to brag about themselves, and it’s boring and tiring as hell. To deal with everyone at once, Krolia invited all the suitors at once to slowly introduce themselves to Keith in the period of one week leading up to a courting contest on Keith’s 19th birthday. There are only so many variations of purple that people can use to describe Keith’s eyes. The only reason Keith was able to fit Lance into his schedule this month was because Prince Lotor decided at the last minute to court Princess Allura instead of Keith, which was honestly a good call since Allura had a crush on Lotor since forever.

“What about Pidge? You like Pidge,” Lance says, lazily blocking a half-hearted parry from Keith. Normally, Keith would put in a little more effort, but his mood has been almost permanently dampened by  _ socializing _ . The only reason they’re not being bothered too much is because of Keith’s long list of accolades regarding his blade weidling prowess, and no one wanted to make a fool of themselves in front of Keith too early. Lance had felt no such fear in making a fool of himself, since he had years of experience in making a fool of himself in front of Keith.

“I like Pidge, I don’t want to  _ marry _ Pidge. I don’t want to sleep next to someone that may feel compelled to turn me into Frankenstein’s monster in the middle of the night, thanks.”

“What about Romelle? You like Romelle,” Lance says.

“You can’t just list everyone I’ve ever talked to and ask me if I’d marry them,” Keith balks, “also you know she’s gay. I’m  _ also _ gay.”

“Forgot about that, but I mean, sounds like a good deal to marry someone you have something in common with, right? Bad joke? Whatever, you never like any of my jokes. So marry someone you don’t know instead, that might be exciting. Arusian roulette is a pretty exciting game, I heard.” Dropping the pretense of getting any actual sparring in, Lance plops himself down on a soft patch of grass, ripping a few pieces off the top and flinging it in Keith’s direction.

“Hey, don’t ruin the groundskeeper’s work,” Keith grumbles, joining Lance on the ground.

“So what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know, but James Griffin sent me some luxury scented candles and a fur coat as a courting gift the other day,” Keith says.

Lance snorts disbelievingly, “He didn’t get the memo that you are on the board of the faux-fur committee?”

“God, it was even a similar color to Kosmo’s coat and my own dog wouldn’t approach me for almost a week.” Lance bursts into a fit of cackling laughter and Keith can’t hide his amusement at the situation either.

“Dude, I don’t know why he would do that when James has been mooning over Lady Rizavi for half a decade and doesn’t even like us?” Hm, and the reality of the situation settles back in and doesn’t that feel so real.

Keith’s smile falters, “Hm, yeah.” Because everyone wants a spouse that doesn’t actually like you (not serious.)

“It’s not going to be like that,” Lance backtracks, “of course you’re going to marry someone that actually likes you and you like them back. That’s the point of meeting all these people that came here to see you right?”

“Sure, that’s going to happen. I’d prefer not getting my hopes up too high,” Keith says dryly, pouring out all his skepticism. Keith’s personal guard, Shiro, arrives and waits in a visible distance for them to finish up.

“I’m making a promise to you, and I’m not going to break it,” Lance says. Keith wants to believe Lance so bad, but it’s not a promise for Lance to make. The only way Keith sees Lance fulfilling that promise is if the unthinkable happens and Lance begins seriously courting Keith--which is never going to happen because Loverboy Lance can’t be tied down to anyone, something that Keith has had to constantly remind himself every other month since what feels like the beginning of their friendship. Is this what people call  _ unrequited pining _ ?

“There’s a lot of horse dung in your promise, but I appreciate the sentiment,” Keith says eventually. Shiro nods his way towards the entrance where a new suitor has arrived to catch Keith’s attention. Lord Sendak of Daibazaal is a jerk-face almost thrice Keith’s age and certainly had never shown prior interest. Keith pretends to show Lance a gagging face before schooling his face to a polite impassivity and turning around to face their new arriving company.

-

Keith really did not expect anything from Lance, which is why he’s not sure how to react when he gets summoned to the throne room for another courting invitation. Sendak follows, annoyed at having his time with Keith cut off. Keith wasn’t even aware there were any additional arriving suitors, and it’s highly unlikely that they would have had enough time to travel to Marmora anyways. He just hopes it's not Lord Kolivan, because the recently widowed man feels like an uncle, and that would be just awkward.

Queen Krolia is a cross between confused and amused when Prince Lance saunters into the room after everyone, impeccably re-dressed in traditional Altean clothing lined with shimmery embroidery. There is a small handkerchief wrapped gift in his hands, which only makes Keith think it may be a garden toad.

“Lance, what are you doing?” 

“Queen Krolia, I would like to formally announce my intention to also court Keith--er, Prince Keith...”

“Thank you for taking interest in my son, but we are only taking serious inquiries at this time,” Krolia says, because history says she has every reason to believe this is just one of Lance’s many jokes.

“And a serious inquiry this is, future mother-in-law,” Lance says, pointing pointedly at the gift in his hands. 

“ _ Future mother-in-law, _ ” Sendak barks boisterously, “With no laurels of his own, I highly doubt anything he could offer would be better than my offering of a chest filled with Balmerian emeralds.”

“That’s where you would be wrong, Lord Sendak. For I have completed a grueling quest in order to bring Prince Keith only the finest of gifts, difficult in procuring as there is only one known maker in all the nations I have ever visited.”

Having piqued interest in Lance’s flowery description, Krolia motions for Lance to offer the gift to Keith. Lance is known to offer silks and fine jewelry for all his normal courting gifts, and Keith is fully prepared to see a gaudy brooch or feminine hairpin. He’s surprised to find a single apple tart still steaming in his hands, truly an inconspicuous homage to their childhood and lifelong friendship.

“Is that? What is that?! Did you get this from the kitchen? Thieving from Prince Keith’s own castle for a courting gift is so barbaric,” Lord Sendak busts out in snobbish chortles, spittle flying everywhere.

“I swiped one from Axca, almost straight out of the oven. You know how she is,” Lance says. 

“Impressive,” Keith says, immediately taking a huge bite from the tart to soothe his sweet tooth.

“You would trust that tart?” Sendak asks, mouth gaping.

“And why would I not? As you’ve said, I am pretty sure this is from my own kitchen,” Keith points out, brushing off crumbs on his lap.

“He could have poisoned you and try to steal Marmora for the glory of Altea,” Sendak says.

“If he wanted to do that, he’s already had many opportunities to do so,” Krolia interrupts, holding a hand up to stop Sendak from spluttering more excuses.

“I appreciate your kind er…  _ thoughtfulness _ towards my well-being, Lord Sendak. However, I trust Prince Lance with my life and I accept the courting gift, regardless of what you think of it,” Keith says bluntly. Lance wags his eyebrows and sticks his tongue at Sendak childishly.

-

After dinner, Lance offers to escort Keith to his room to hang out. The main difference is that Keith actually plucks up the courage to hold Lance’s hand on the way there this time. Lance says nothing about it, even swings their hands together cutely while starting an idle conversation about whether or not blue and red are good wedding colors. Is it the best idea to bring one of your suitors into your room prematurely while being courted by several others? No, but it’s something they probably would have been doing anyways and Keith has never really been one to care about whether or not the people gossip. “I didn’t think you could be into me romantically,” Keith admits.

“Uh, I am?”

Keith has to physically reel himself back, looking at Lance like he’s crazy. 

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, you just looked like you could have used a fun distraction from everyone. You don’t actually want to marry me, right?”

“So you don’t see a future where we’re together,” Keith says, rage slowly boiling. He snatches his hand away from Lance and crosses his arms.

Lance seems taken aback by Keith’s response considering how smoothly everything went in the throne room. “I always see a future where we’re together. Lance and Keith, neck to neck. How could I imagine a life without my best friend?”

“Best friend,” Keith deadpans. “ _ BESTFRIEND. _ You literally--!! UGH. Are you seriously going to call me that now?”

“Aren’t you my best friend though,” Lance pouts, flopping himself on Keith’s bedsheets.

Keith paces back and forth in his room, having an internal debate about whether or not he’s happy to have a marriage proposal from Lance. Keith is not into fake marriage, and if Lance is only doing this as a self-sacrificing heroism act to distract Keith from marrying a complete stranger versus out of actual affection, then Keith doesn’t actually want Lance to win. But Keith  _ does _ want Lance to win, because it would be awesome to marry Lance, who is Keith’s ideal in every way since  _ forever _ . 

“It’s not about whether or not I want to marry you, I want to know if  _ you _ want to marry  _ me _ ,” Keith says finally.

“Sure, why not?”

“It’s a yes or no question!”

“I said sure! Why do you even care? Is that even important,” Lance asks, voice whiny. Lance reaches out towards Keith again, trying to placate him before he wears down a line into the carpet. Keith whirls around, gesturing wildly and jabs a finger to Lance’s chest.

“It is important to me! I need to know if you’d be happy with spending the rest of your life with me,” Keith says.

Lance shrugs, “I mean, yeah! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Then why can’t you just say yes?”

“Sure and yeah means the same thing as that,” Lance argues, wilting under Keith’s eyes.

The air is different with Keith pursing his lips and twisting them in a not-quite-angry but definitely-extremely-upset frustrated face. It’s not an expression Keith has often around Lance anymore, not with how open Keith usually is with his friend. Keith doesn’t want to be a random choice that Lance picks on a whim, he wants to be  _ the _ choice because he just knows how heartbroken he’s going to be if Lance decides he’s got better options a month later.

“You better think of another answer because I’m not sure that’s good enough for me. I’m not walking down the aisle and committing my life to  _ ‘sure.’ _ ” Keith storms out of the room, leaving Lance to stew on the idea of how he messed up.

-

Against Keith’s will, the contest is public and everyone in their kingdom comes to see who will win his heart like it’s a season finale of their favorite dating show. When Queen Krolia stands to her full height and addresses the crowd, the loud cheers deafen to a quiet chitter.

“The contest is simple. My son loves apples, please retrieve some for him from The Galran Tree, which has long since connected Marmora to our heritage in Daibazaal. The person that can fill a basket with the most number of apples will be victorious. There are no rules as to how you can obtain the apples, but your time limit per person is ten dooboshes.”

Sendak volunteers to go first, deciding to bodily tackle the gigantic tree a few times and huffing angrily when only a few apples drop down. Brute strength can only get you so far--half a basket worth, apparently. He attempts to convince the crowd that the whole contest is rigged, but gets boo-ed off for his efforts.

James has a different approach; if he can’t make the apples come down, then he will just go to the apples. James spends five dooboshes climbing up to one of the lower branches; he is able to pick a decent amount of apples but runs out of time trying to climb onto a different section of the tree. Three-fourths of a basket is not that bad.

Lance takes out his trusty bow and arrow, contemplatively walking underneath the tree in a circle for six whole dooboshes. Keith is on the edge of his throne, wondering why Lance isn’t doing anything when Lance stills and shoots his arrow straight up through the tree and immediately runs for cover after hearing a branch snapping. The crowd murmurs in confusion when a few seconds later, apples from the top to the bottom of the tree start raining down. The basket fills quickly and it becomes clear that Lance is the obvious winner.

“Prince Lance, The Galran Tree has given you many fruits for your labor. You have earned the right to my son’s hand in marriage. Is there anything you would like to say to him?”

“Keith, I wasn’t lying when I said I always see a future where we’re together. I can imagine myself being with others quite easily, but I can’t see myself being without you. I hope you feel the same,” Lance says.

Keith sprints out of his seat and Lance stands to catch him in his arms. “It’s always been you for me, of course I feel the same.”

Lance lifts Keith and spins him in a happy circle. The crowd is roaring in joy, but they’re living in their own moment and happily ever after.

  
  



End file.
